Environmental Transport and Fate Process Descriptors for Propellant Compounds

Mirecki, June E.; Porter, Beth E.; Weiss, Charles

doi:10.21236/ada450743

Cited by 16 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 155 publications

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“…The fact that most of the nitrogen was released as nitrite is consistent with previous reports of denitration catalyzed by reductase enzymes (4,8,21). The minor amounts of nitrate observed could be from abiotic hydrolysis (5,12) or from oxidation of nitrite. Cultures supplemented with glycerol or other carbon sources assimilated all of the nitrite (data not shown).…”

supporting

confidence: 91%

Growth of Arthrobacter sp. Strain JBH1 on Nitroglycerin as the Sole Source of Carbon and Nitrogen

Husserl

Spain²,

Hughes

2010

Appl Environ Microbiol

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Arthrobacter sp. strain JBH1 was isolated from nitroglycerin-contaminated soil by selective enrichment. Detection of transient intermediates and simultaneous adaptation studies with potential intermediates indicated that the degradation pathway involves the conversion of nitroglycerin to glycerol via 1,2-dinitroglycerin and 1-mononitroglycerin, with concomitant release of nitrite. Glycerol then serves as the source of carbon and energy.Nitroglycerin (NG) is manufactured widely for use as an explosive and a pharmaceutical vasodilator. It has been found as a contaminant in soil and groundwater (7,9). Due to NG's health effects as well as its highly explosive nature, NG contamination in soils and groundwater poses a concern that requires remedial action (3). Natural attenuation and in situ bioremediation have been used for remediation in soils contaminated with certain other explosives (16), but the mineralization of NG in soil and groundwater has not been reported.To date, no pure cultures able to grow on NG as the sole carbon, energy, and nitrogen source have been isolated. Accashian et al.(1) observed growth associated with the degradation of NG under aerobic conditions by a mixed culture originating from activated sludge. The use of NG as a source of nitrogen has been studied in mixed and pure cultures during growth on alternative sources of carbon and energy (3,9,11,20). Under such conditions, NG undergoes a sequential denitration pathway in which NG is transformed to 1,2-dinitroglycerin (1,2DNG) or 1,3DNG followed by 1-mononitroglycerin (1MNG) or 2MNG and then glycerol, under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions (3,6,9,11,20), and the enzymes involved in denitration have been characterized in some detail (4,8,15,21). Pure cultures capable of completely denitrating NG as a source of nitrogen when provided additional sources of carbon include Bacillus thuringiensis/cereus and Enterobacter agglomerans (11) and a Rhodococcus species (8, 9). Cultures capable of incomplete denitration to MNG in the presence of additional carbon sources were identified as Pseudomonas putida, Pseudomonas fluorescens (4), an Arthobacter species, a Klebsiella species (8, 9), and Agrobacterium radiobacter (20).Here we describe the isolation of bacteria able to degrade NG as the sole source of carbon, nitrogen, and energy. The inoculum for selective enrichment was soil historically contaminated with NG obtained at a facility that formerly manufactured explosives located in the northeastern United States. The enrichment medium consisted of minimal medium prepared as previously described (17) supplemented with NG (0.26 mM), which was synthesized as previously described (18). During enrichment, samples of the inoculum (optical density at 600 nm [OD 600 ] ϳ 0.03) were diluted 1/16 in fresh enrichment medium every 2 to 3 weeks. Isolates were obtained by dilution to extinction in NG-supplemented minimal medium. Cultures were grown under aerobic conditions in minimal medium at pH 7.2 and 23°C or in tryptic soy agar (TSA; 1/4 strength).Early st...

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supporting

confidence: 91%

Growth of Arthrobacter sp. Strain JBH1 on Nitroglycerin as the Sole Source of Carbon and Nitrogen

Husserl

Spain²,

Hughes

2010

Appl Environ Microbiol

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“…Hot wire and film bridges use priming compositions that include potassium chlorate with various combinations of lead mononitroresorcinate, NC, lead thiocynate, DDNP, charcoal, nitrostarch, titanium, and aluminum. Mirecki et al 2006). Plasticizers and inert binders account for approximately 5 to 25 weight percent.…”

Section: Ignition Trainmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characterization and Fate of Gun and Rocket Propellant Residues on Testing and Training Ranges: Interim Report 2

Walsh¹,

Walsh²,

Hewitt³

et al. 2010

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Abstract:The objectives of the research described in this report are to characterize the deposition and accumulation of propellant residues at the various types of firing points at military firing ranges, develop process descriptors to allow estimation of environmental transport rates of individual energetic chemicals from these residues, and collect lysimeter and groundwater monitoring well samples to experimentally assess off-site transport of residues. Estimates of residue deposition are presented for the firing of 60-and 81-mm mortars and 105-mm howitzers. Experimental results are provided for propellant residue accumulation at antitank rocket, mortar, artillery, and small arms ranges at several installations. Results from soil column experiments on the transport of nitroglycerin, nitroguanidine, and diphenylamine also are presented with resulting transport property estimates. Also, an experiment to assess the deposition of ammonium perchlorate from Mk58 rocket motors is described.

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“…Propellant formulations are complex composite materials that consist of explosives mixtures, stabilizers, burning rate modifiers, and plasticizers infused in a nitrocellulose matrix (Mirecki et al, 2006). Among the various potential plasticizers, nitrate esters, including nitroglycerin (NG) and ethylene glycol dinitrate (EGDN), have been the most widely used.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Both chemicals are volatile, fairly soluble in water, and mobile in soils, which favors their transport from the contamination source to potential receptors (Mirecki et al, 2006). These two nitrate esters have been shown to be highly toxic substances.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental Fate of Triethylene Glycol Dinitrate

Monteil-Rivera

Radovic-Hrapovic

Halasz

et al. 2011

Environmental Engineering Science

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Triethylene glycol dinitrate (TEGDN) is an energetic plasticizer presently used in the synthesis of new insensitive formulations. However, little is known about its environmental fate and impact. In the present study, we measured several environmental physicochemical parameters that are necessary to predict the fate and impact of the chemical in the environment. High solubility of TEGDN in water (7,430 mg L À1 at 25 8C), its low log K ow value (0.79), and low K d values (0.09-0.78 L kg À1 ) suggest that TEGDN will be very mobile in soils. We also investigated the kinetics and mechanisms of several degradation processes likely to occur in the environment. Hydrolysis and degradation in sterile soils were found to be very slow. No significant biological transformation was detected after 3-month incubation in soils under aerobic conditions. Photolysis was the fastest process to take place with a rate of 0.049 day À1 (t 1/2 ¼ 14 days) and 0.031 day À1 (t 1/2 ¼ 22 days) at 258C in the dissolved or dry form, respectively. Nitrate, formaldehyde, and formate were the major photoproducts. Glyoxal, glycolaldehyde, and polycondensation products were also observed in the absence of water.

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Environmental Transport and Fate Process Descriptors for Propellant Compounds

Cited by 16 publications

References 155 publications

Growth of Arthrobacter sp. Strain JBH1 on Nitroglycerin as the Sole Source of Carbon and Nitrogen

Growth of Arthrobacter sp. Strain JBH1 on Nitroglycerin as the Sole Source of Carbon and Nitrogen

Characterization and Fate of Gun and Rocket Propellant Residues on Testing and Training Ranges: Interim Report 2

Environmental Fate of Triethylene Glycol Dinitrate

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